leicsmac

Fair to say. I honestly think that a one-size-fits-all policymaking process as we appear to have here in the form of the Commons and Lords Bill processes, while mostly effective, has weaknesses that could become all to apparent - mostly not thinking enough of the long-term. But perhaps that's an acceptable flaw, huge as it may prove, because every other possible method of policymaking is worse overall.

You're asking for an epistocracy there which on at least some matters might be better. The problem however lies in picking the damn epistocrats because everyone has a different definition of what an expert should know, be and do.

Sadly, if the current societal environment is anything to go by, toxic self-interest is making a big comeback - if it ever went away.

Then it's: "Bellingham slates team-mates attitude and thinks England were lucky" as a derogation in tomorrow's headlines and among elements of the England fanbase anyway. Truth is that he's going to catch flak no matter what he says based on the performance and I wouldn't agree that an "honest" response would be the route of most positive outcome for the team in any case, much less that those selfsame elements of the fanbase would be reasonable enough as a bloc to accept it at face value in any case. Frankly, they're not that reasonable.

Automation would be an ideal of the future, but if it isn't accompanied by UBI then you're asking for dystopia, not utopia.

Sadly, it's the Golden Rule applying again. He who has the gold, makes the rules.

Fair point, but I would also say that knowing Reform will only deepen inequality rather than thinking they'll reduce it is smarter in of itself. That's reasonably easy policy dissemination.

Reform continue to make up ground. I hope that I'm wrong about this, but there will be a flashpoint soon and next time round, like in France now, they will either have 0 seats or enough seats to set policy. There will be no middle ground.

It pairs well. As per above though, this kind of crisis is in fact the best bad outcome. All others - whether trying to boost birth rates and so keep population rising across the world or whatever, will simply kick the can down the road and end much worse.

Yep, there's a demographic crisis on the horizon and closing fast. Unfortunately, even though it needs to be addressed, there are no good options to deal with that - the best involves paying out a fair chunk to maintain things as they are while population demographics stabilise (however long that may take), the worst involves a massive population crash across the developed world.

Cumulonimbus, if you please Yeah, but, you know, she's a...well, a woman. An American woman at that. In our English game?

I think we've always been at that point - there's been no shortage of people using superstition and whatever else in order to not face scientific fact, for example. Once we moved into the latter half of the 20th Century it became less of an issue, but I do think the ascendancy of the Internet in general and social media in particular has made it an issue again - now those still bound to "alternative facts" are able to cast a much longer shadow and spread influence thanks to that gift of technology. Once you know there are others that share your ideas - even if they fly in the very face of what is true and what isn't - then it makes a person bold and feel more ready to defend their inaccurate position. The result is as you see.

Difficult one for me, sometimes the concern is legit and infrastructure is either not necessary or could be done elsewhere, sometimes people in these "concerned citizen" groups are really just self interested stick-in-the-muds unable to think beyond their front window or the next five years.

Well done India. The SA rugby team evidently still have all of the Saffer sporting bollocks.

Klaasen dismissal the turning point there. Honestly thought Bumrah had been held back too long but it's yet another Saffer choke.

I mean, they are very good at the massive choke, we'll see. Bumrah needs to win this on his own now.

Building up to a grandstand finish here. This partnership the crucial one.

I think that historical England campaigns and the historical reaction of fans and media throughout them cast doubt on this tbh, unless a lot of them have had the same issues with manager and players, which is possible I guess.

Funnily enough it's the inverse of their rugby team. They are famed for bringing their best to the biggest occasions and winning.

Thank you Suisse for proving me wrong.

Italy 1-0 shithouse anyone?

... because if complaining and negativity were an Olympic event, England/Team GB would win the gold medal at a canter, and then complain about the height of the podium and the shape of the medal. Masochism appears to be inbuilt into our psyche.

Reckon India are a good 15-25 runs above par here, will need something special from the Saffers.

It would be just like him to do so too. Tbh I view the guy the way a lot of non LCFC fans must view Vardy - you can't like him for various reasons, but if you don't hold the skill and nerve at the biggest level he has in the highest respect, you have no brain.

Kohli having to deliver at the highest level here, then.